This Italian cannellini bean soup makes the most out of just 6 simple pantry ingredients and it's ready in just 20 minutes!
This creamy Italian cannellini bean soup can be whipped up with just a handful of pantry ingredients, such as canned beans, garlic, and potatoes.
It’s one of those insanely flavorful soups that looks like you spent hours on it, but the best part? It only takes 20 minutes to whip up!
The mix of cannellini beans, garlic, and thyme instantly brings those cozy Tuscan vibes to life.
And trust me, a generous swirl of high-quality extra-virgin olive oil right at the end ties everything together beautifully—don’t skip this step, it’s what really makes those flavors shine!
It's just a wonderful white bean soup that will warm your soul and fill you up on a cold rainy day. It’s hearty and rustic, and absolutely easy to make.
Serve it with crusty artisanal bread grilled to perfection, and you can call it a meal!
Ingredients
- Beans: Cannellini beans (also called white kidney beans) work wonderfully here with their creamy texture and delicate flavour. However, you can substitute them with navy beans, baby lima beans, or great northern beans.
I use jarred cannellini, which I find the taste better than the canned ones. If you start with dried beans, here's a helpful guide on how to cook dried cannellini beans. - Garlic: I used a small amount of garlic for a mild garlicky flavour, but you can increase the quantity to 6 cloves.
- Thyme: Fresh or dried thyme, they will all work well. Fresh thyme has lots more flavour than dried thyme, so consider adding a little more if you're going with dried thyme. You can substitute it with fresh rosemary.
- Potatoes: For a super creamy and rich soup opt for floury and starchy potatoes such as Russets potatoes.
- Stock: I like to use homemade vegetable broth (onion, carrot, ginger, celery, simmered for 20 minutes) for this soup but you can easily use chicken broth for more flavor. If you use commercial broth, try to go for organic low-sodium vegetable stock.
- Extra-virgin olive oil - For an Italian like me, high-quality EVOO is a must and will add so much flavour to your dishes, including this creamy soup.
Optional extra ingredients
I like to keep it simple, but if you have some of the below ingredients at hand and need to be used up, feel free to toss them into the mix:
- carrots or onion: Sautéed with the potatoes and garlic.
- Parma ham: Finely chopped prosciutto or pancetta, sautéed with the potatoes and garlic.
- Prawns: Grilled shrimps, served on top of the soup.
- Kale or spinach leaves: Stirred in right at the end.
- Lemon zest: Just before serving, for a citrusy note.
- Red chilli flakes: Totally optional, but if you want to give a kick of flavor, stir a generous pinch of red chili flakes into the soup whilst it cooks.
How to make cannellini bean soup
This super creamy cannellini bean soup recipe is absolutely easy to prepare and requires minimum cooking skills.
Here's a quick recipe overview with step-by-step pictures.
Scroll down until the end of the post for the full printable recipe.
STEP 1. Sauté potatoes and garlic.
STEP 2. Add cannellini beans, followed by the thyme and red chilli flakes (if using).
STEP 3. Add vegetable stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste.
STEP 4. Transfer ⅓ of the cannellini soup into a blender, using a slotted spoon. Blend, adding a ladle of stock from the pot at a time, until reaching the desired creamy consistency. Return the blended soup back into the pot and stir to combined all the ingredients.
Serve with grilled croutons or grilled bread on top, fresh thyme leaves, and a swirl of good extra-virgin olive oil for extra flavor.
Storage tips
Making a big batch of this Italian bean soup and storing the leftovers is always a fantastic idea! You'll thank yourself later when you've got a delicious meal ready to go.
- Fridge: Transfer leftover soup in an air-tight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- Freezer: Divide the soup into freezer-friendly air-tight containers and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
More Italian soups recipes
If you loved this simple Italian soup, I highly recommend trying this quick chickpea pasta soup, this hearty pasta e fagioli soup, or this super comforting butternut squash soup. You’re going to love them all!
Did you try this recipe?
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Recipe
Italian Cannellini Bean Soup
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 floury medium-sized potato (or two smalll ones), peeled and finely cubed
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 3 cans cannellini beans (15 ounces/425 g) , drained
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 l hot vegetable stock
- sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes, optional
To serve:
- grilled bread or croutons
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive in large pot over medium-low heat, add the cubed potato and garlic, and cook until they both begin brown, adding a splash of warm water if necessary.
- Add the drained beans, followed by the thyme and red chili flakes (optional), and cook, stirring for a couple of minutes.
- Pour in the broth and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste.
- Transfer ⅓ of the bean and potato mixture into a blender, with the help of a slotted spoon. Blend on low speed, adding a ladle of stock from the pot at a time, until reaching the desired creamy consistency. Transfer the creamed beans mixture back into the pot and stir to combine. If you'd like your soup thicker, continue to simmer the soup on low heat until reaching the desired consistency.
- Divide the soup into bowls, swirl the remaining extra-virgin olive oil on top and sprinkle with extra fresh thyme leaves. Serve with grilled bread or croutons.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Alana says
How much vegetable stock does that say? Do I not know this lingo? Haha
Andrea says
Hi Alana, it's 1 liter of vegetable stock, about 4 US cups!